Clutch disk construction



June 1.6, 1931. B. LQEFFLER CLUTCH D ISK GONSTRUCT ION Filed sept. 121929 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 115,v 1931. B. LoEr-'FLER CLUTCH DISKCONSTRUCTION 2 sheets-sheet A 2 Filed Sept. 12I 1929 c Patented June 16,

`UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRUNO LOIEIFFLER, lOlli' PLAIN'FIELD,l NEWJERSEY, AS'SIGNOR TO INTERNATIONAL MOTOR COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A.CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CLUTCH DISK CONSTRUCTION Application 1ed`September 12, 1929. Serial No. 392,078.

f5 gagement of the relatively rotating portions of the clutch.

A common fault'with many clutches constructed in accordance with presentdesigns is that the relatively rotating members fre- A m quently engagewith a, jerk, or a catching' which impresses violent strains upon thetransmission and associated driving mechanism, at l,the same timeresultingin highly -uncomfortable operation, from the' pas- I sengersstandpoint, when the clutch is used in motor vehicle service. Thedihiculty of providing a smooth engagement frequently arises from thefact that the contacting surfaces of the plates and friction diskscany21|] not be vmade absolutely uniform in character and certainportions of suchsurfaces are, in this manner, notable to come into fulluse during the engagement of the clutch.

The present invention embodies a clutch 25 which is designed to afford,not only a positive and effective engagement of the relatively rotatingportions thereof, but the design is such that this engagement takesplaces in a smooth manner, free from all jerking and catching, such asfrequently experienced in existing forms of clutches.

An Aobject of the invention, therefore, is to provide a clutch, theelements of which are so designed that engagement thereof takes placeWithoutjerking or catching.

A further object of the invention is to provide a clutch construction inwhichl the area of contact-between relativelyrotating portions thereofincreases gradually during the engaging operation of the clutch. Afurther object of the invention is to provide a clutch of the abovecharacter, the elements of which are simple in construction and readilyassembled and dismountecl.

Further objects kof the invention, not speci'cally enumerated above,will be apparent as it is described in greater detail in connection withtheaocompanying drawings,-

wherein: v Figure 1 is a planl view, partly broken used for suchpurpose.

away, showing a portion of a clutch, including a portion of a frictiondisk thereof, and a cooperating plate which engages therewith.

Figure 2 is a View in section, takenI on line 2-2 of Figure 1 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a view .in section, taken in a plane passing through theaxis of the clutch, and showing a modified means for effecting smoothengagement of the relatively rotating members.

Figure 4 is a View 'in section, similar to Figure 3, showing theelements of Figure 3 in a disengaged position.

Figure 5 is a detailed view showing the 4spring plate used`in theconstruction shown in Figures 3 and/l.

Figures 6, 7 and 8 are views similar to Figures 3, 4 ,and 5, showing afurther modified construction.

yFigures 9 and 10 are views similar to Fig ures 6 and 7, showing a stillfurther modified construction in which the spring plate is dispensedwith.

Referring to the above drawings, a desig- -nates a clutch-platewhich,for simplicity/of description, may constitute one of the relaadapted tobe moved into engagement with each other by anyvmeans now commonlyWithin the plate a, recesses a are formed. These recesses are shown asspaced equidstant about the axis of the plate and receive spring lingersc. Rivets c may secure the spring fingers within the recesses a and thefingers are so formed that they project beyond the plane of the outersurface of the plate a. Suitable apertures a2 are formed in the plate ato permit the draining of Huid which might collect within 'the aperturesa. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that, when platea and disk b are moved into engagement, spring fingers o will firstengage the disk b and thus cause a' gradually increasing drag betweenthe re1- atively rotating elements, such drag eventually merging intothe locking of such elements when the opposedy surfaces thereof fullyengage each other under the required pressure.

In the construction shown in Figures 3, 4 land 5, the plate a is formedwith an annular recess d. "ithinV this recess an annular spring plate e'is seated, the periphery of the .spring plate lying adjacent the outerperiphery of the recesses. The inner periphery of the spring plate ispreferably bowed, or sprung outwardly, as clearly shown in Figure 4, andthe plate is slotted at e inwardly from the outer periphery and at e2outwardly from the inner periphery to render the plate more resilient.Recesses d communicate with Aconduits d2 toveifect the draining of theclutch in a manner similar to that described above.

In operation, it will be seen that the spring plate e will first engagethe friction disk?) adjacent its inner periphery when the disk c andplate a are moved into engagement. After this initial engagement,continued movement in such direction gradually in creases the dragbetween the relatively rotating elements and eventually eects a vsmoothand positive engagement thereof.

In the construction shown in Figures 6,l

` 7 and 8, a spring plate f is secured to the plate a by means of rivetsf. The plate a is preferably formed with a shoulder g which causes theinner periphery of the spring plate f to be bowed outwardly as clearlyshown in Figure 7. This results in the inner periphery of the springplate f bemg engaged with the disk b initially, in a manner similar tothat described in connection with the construction shown in Figures 3,4and 5. The spring plate f is formed with slots f2 extending outwardlyfrom the inner periphery and pairs of slots f3, extending inwardly fromthe outerperiphery for the purpose described in connection with the5slots shown in Figure 5.

In Figures 9 and 10, a smooth engagement between the relatively rotatingelements is effected by the tapering of the outer face of the plate awith respect to the cooperating face ofthe friction disk b. Thistapering face 1s shown at h and tapers away from the friction disk b,from the inner periphery of the plate" a toward the outer periphery. Asthe plate a and disk b are moved into enga-gement, the inner peripheryof the plate a will first engage the disk b and further movement will@anse a slight springing of the disk b to cause the entire adjacentsurface thereof to engage the cooperating surface of the plate a. Duringthe movement above descrlbed, the engaging pressure, or friction betweensuch elementsis increased gradually until a positive engagementtherebetween is effected. The recesses d and duct (Z2 are likewiseprovided in this construction.

While the invention has been described with specific reference to theconstructions shown in the accompanying drawings, it is not to belimited save as defined in the appended claims.

lVhat I claim is:

l. A clutch construction comprising relatively rotating annular members,an annular spring member between the members having faces sloping withrespectto the adjacent faces of the members to cause the surface of oneof said, members to engage'the other of the members adjacent oneperiphery thereof. initially in the movement of the members intoengagement, and a cylindrical extension on the annular member adjacentits inner periphery.

2. A clutch construction comprising relatively rotating annular members,an annular spring member ioating between the members .having facessloping with respect to the adjacent faces of the members to cause thesurface of one of said members to engage the other of the membersadjacent the inner periphery thereof initially in the movement of themembers into engagement, and a cylindrical extensionon the annularmember adjacent its inner periphery.

This specificationsigned this 6th day vof Sept., A. D. 1929. 1, j

BRUNO LOEFFLER.

